Abstract            Volume:12  Issue-2  Year-2024         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Coffee (Coffea) is a fourth cash crop in Malawi, however, cherry yield productivity is low. The study assessed socio-economic factors affecting smallholder farmers’ coffee production and also estimated demand for seedlings. It was implemented in five coffee growers’ cooperatives. 372 coffee farming households’ representatives were randomly selected and interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using SPSS and Mean Derived Scores (MDS) were calculated in Microsoft excel. 94.9% of farmers accessed information on coffee production practices from cooperative managers.72% of respondents bought seed at MK3, 000.00/kg from private traders which was relatively higher than MK2, 500.00 offered by the government. 96.8% of respondents sold coffee to their Union, however, farmers complained of price fluctuations and late payments. Farmers cultivated Catimor 129 (MDS = 5.2) because it is high yielding and of good cup quality. Annual parchment production per household ranged from 101kgs to 500kgs according to 34.4% of respondents, and they earned MK40, 001.00 to MK200, 000.00. Total demand for coffee seedlings was 600,341.Government should provide credit facilities to farmers, set up coffee certification standards, employ agricultural extension agents, and regulate the coffee market in order to attract more investors.

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